Automatic starter for gasolene-engines.



l.PATBNTED AUG. 11--, 1908;

T. A. 001m. AUTOMATIC STARTER TOR GAsoLENT ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.16, 1'907.

also provided with a groove` 10 With `which one arm of the yoked leverfIl 'is4 adapted to UNITED STATES PATENT orme;

FRANKLIN A. coREY, F SANTA PAULA, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC STARTERl FOR GASOLENEjENGINES..

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

Application {i1-ed December 16, 1907. Serial No. 406,806. A

` the same after it has beenstopped'. I acwith my improved automatic starter.

complish this object by means of a spring and suitable clutch mechanism for connecting the same with the engine while it is running, whereby the spring is wound and then locked or heldin its wound condition until it is desired to start the engine, when the spring is released and thc uncoiling of it will rotate the shaft sufficiently to compress and explode the first charge after which the succeeding charges are compressed by the engine itself inthe usual manner.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of mechanisniwith the same applied to an automobile, Figure. 1 is a side elevation of an automobile -proviled 1g. 2 is a vertical, sectional view of' the same showing the sprin in elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical section ta en upon the axis of an engine shaft. Fig. 4 is a sectional'view takenv 'tlnough one of the clutches.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only and, therefore, are not drawn to any particular scale:- 1 indicates an automobile which is adapted to bedriven by the usual gasolenel engineu2l and shaft 3. The shaft is journale'd in ordinary bearings 4, and is rovided at its outer endwith a suitable clutc ali ordinary friction clutch comprising members 5' and 6 being shown. The clutch member 5Jis j ournaled in the -bearing .4 and provided with suitable ratchet mechanism, aball 7 being shown which is ada ted to en age with suitable recesses or "oc -ets 8 inf'fie usual mani ner. The mem er 6 Vis slid'ably secured to the shaft 3 as 'by means of a .feather 9, :and is engage. The lever 11 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 12 and connected at its upper end with a handle or lever 13 by means of a .5 by actuating the handle or' lever 13.

the or rod or link ,14, whereby the occupant of the automobile can move the clutch member 6 into and out of engagement with the member coiled spring 15 is-mounted upon the link 14 between the upper end of the -lever 11 and the bracket 4, so as to normally hold the clutch member 6 out of engagement with the member 5.

Loosely mounted upon the shaft 3 is a casing 16 whose hub fits upon a collar`17 onthe shaft and is adapted to be rigidly held in en gagement therewith by suitable pawl and ratchet mechanism, balls 18 and sockets 19 being shown in the drawings. The vcasing is open on one side and faces a disk 20 upon a hub 21,'that forms a part of or is rigidly connected with the inner end of the clutch member 5. Aspring 22 is connected with the hub 21 of the disk 20 on the shaft 3 at one end and with the casing 16 at the other, as

shown at 23.

- Suitable locking mechanism may be provvided for holding the casing against rotation,

which Ihave shown in the drawings in the form of a strap band or brake 25, which iits between flanges 24 upon the casing 16. One

end of the brake 25 is connected to a bracket 26 on the automobile body andthe other end is connected Witha foot lever 27 by means of a rod 28 and lever 29.' The leve'r 29 is pivotally secured, as to bracket 30', and a 'sfpring 31 or other suitable means ,is provided lor'holding the band or brake retainin connectionwith the casing, except when re 'eased by pressure upon the foot lever 27 In using a starter asabove described, the

clutch mechanism is thrown into engagement while the engine shaft is running and the spring is wound so as to give it any' desired tension, the casing being held against rotation by the brake 25. has been wound, the `clutch member 6 is As soonl as the springv moved outwardly so as to disconnect the member 5 therefrom, which will immediately start to rotate backward, but will be caught and held by ratchet mechanism, as

.the balls '7, V'and the spring will thereby be held in VitsI Wound or tense condition, while the engine shaftcan still continue to rotate in i mary manner.. l After theengine has been stopped and it is 'desired to Ystartthe same 'the brake is re'- leasd,which` ermit the spring to revolve the casing in t e direction in-vvhi'ch it "u'holnifre not the necessary stre-ngtl1 desired to revolve the engine shaft. its soon as the casing begins to revolw theratchet lmechanism, as the balls 1S, will engage with the collar 17 on the shaft and thereby rotate the same one or more times in the same manner as would be done by the ordinary cranking mechanism. As soon as the engine starts theshaft 3 will be rotated forward which will release it from the balls, or ratchet mechanism 18, `and will rotate the clutch member 6, but as the member 6 is normally out of engagement with the member 5, the spring w1ll remain in its unwound condition. Il' desired, the spring can be made strong enough so that one winding will atlord sullicient power to start the engine two or more times, the brake being sutliciently strong to hold it against unwinding at any time after the engine has been started, thereby providing means for insuring the starting of the engine even though one or more false starts should be made.

Instead of using a friction brake for hohling the casing against rotation, any other suitable means, as pawl and ratchet mechanism may be provided, which could be controlled or released by means of a foot lever, or other device, located on the automobile in convenient position for being manipulated by the oceupant,'or a toot lever 27 may be provided and. ordinary toothed rack and` pawl for locking the bralrc in its holding or retain-ingposition upon the casing. l also prefer to provide the shaft 3 with an ordi-I nary pin or shoulder 32 by means of which the engine may be started with the ordinary crank in the usual manner, Vthereby providing means for starting the engine in case the automatic mechanism should prove insulticient, as after having made several t'alse starts and the energy of the spring having been used up in making such starts. Although have slrown my invention being applied to an automobile, it is evident that it can be applied to anv engine shaft upon any other form ot' mechanism, and the spring may be detachably connected with the engine shaft `in any oth`e r` desired manner, the only requiren'rent being that the spring be wound by applying force to one end while the other end is held rigid, and then holding the iirst mentioned end against'movement and releasing the loi-hed end while, the spring is beingunwound. v ,y

By varying the size vand'strength el' the spring, the imfemion. is applicable for use upon engines ol' varied strength or horse power, and it is so simple that it can be readilywippled to engines already constructed withlmt slight cost, and itis so extremely simple that itis not liable to,v breaker get out ol' order. ly its use the danger et accident l'rom bnf-k tiring, `elf-nis entirelyremoved and the engine canv be startedbyv persons i or slrlill lo rotate the engine shaft by means oi a crank in the usual manner. i

Il aving described my invention, I claim 1. 1n an automatic engine starter, a casing provided with a recessed hub, a recessed collar in said hub adapted to be secured to said shaft, balls mounted in said recesses, means for locking said: easing against rotation in one direction, a spring within the casing having one end secured thereto, and intermittent grip mechanism for detaehably connecting the otherend of the spring to said shaft.

2. In an automatic engine starter, a casing .adapted to be loosely mounted upon the engine shaft, means foi-'looking the casing to the shaft so as to rotate the same in one direction, a. band brake around the casing, a foot lever, a rod for connecting the foot lever with said brake, means for normally holding the brake in engagement with said casing,a spring in the easing having one end secured thereto, and means for detachably connectingy the-other end of the spring with said engine shaft.

3. In an automatic engine starter, a flanged easing adapted to be loosely mounted upon the engine shaft and having one side open, 'means for locking the casing tothe shal't. .so as to rotate the same in one direction, a'.

Yclutch upon the shaft, one member ot which is provided with a disk adapted to close sai d, casing, means for locking sai-d .member to thc shaft so as to be rotated in one direction thereby, a spring within the easing secured at one end thereto, and having its other end secured to said clutch member, means for aetuating the clutch, a band brake around said casing between said flanges, and means for controlling said brake. 7 l

Ll.v In an automatic engine starter, a casing adapted `to be detachably connected with the lengine shaft, means for locking the casing against rotation, a clutch on said shaft, one member of which is provided with a hub which extends mto said casing, means for locking said clutch member against rotation,

in one direction, means for actuating the clutch, and a springsecured at one end to said casing and at the other end to said hub.

5. In an automatic engine starter, brack-` ets, one of which is recessed, an engine shaft journaled in said brackets, a easing adapted to be detachably'secured to said shaft, a clutch on said shaft,- one member ofvwhich is providedA with a hub, a ball between said member and said bracket adapted to lock said member against rotation in one direction, .means l'or actuating the clutch, and a springin the casing having one end secured the-retoandI the other end secured to said clutch member;

6; ln al1/automatic engine starter, an engine shaft, a casing det-achalfly mounted thereon, a spring in the casing `having one end secured thereto, a elnteh on` said shalt, 

